Mirila – a virtual museum of Velebit heritage
Mirila
„Man is mortal, but mirila are immortal. Mirila are not stone monuments; rather, they are petrified deities.”
(Tomo Vinšćak, Mirila, cultural phenomenon)
Welcome to the world of *mirila*—a virtual museum that preserves and shares the significance of stone monuments associated with funeral customs dating from the 17th to the 20th century, found along the mountain paths of the southern Velebit, an ancient and mystical Croatian mountain range.
According to the old belief of the shepherds of Velebit, in the funeral rite of reconciliation, the soul of the deceased would separate from the body and find peace on its miril - the stone resting place of the soul.
Explore the heritage of mirila through the museum's virtual exhibition and meet the people of the mountains, whose knowledge and beliefs have been shaped by centuries of pastoral coexistence between the sea and the Velebit range.
The Life of a Shepherd
Between the sea and the mountains, in rhythm with the changing seasons, lived the shepherds who created the mirila. The story of their lives awaits you here.